Saturday's Question

Every Saturday I'll feature a question and ask you lovely readers to weigh in. Do you have a dilemma? E-mail your question to jns721@gmail.com, and a link to your blog or website if you have one, and will post it!

Since tomorrow is Halloween, let's have a scary question! What is your biggest wedding fear? Are you worried the food will be a flop or that the dress will be a disaster? If you already had your wedding, was your biggest fear realized or was all okay in the end?

Halloween Weekend

Photo: Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom

I've been munching on Halloween candy all week. It's so hard to ignore it. Sitting in the cabinet, seemingly out of eyesight, but always calling my name - "Jenniiiffeeeer, come eat us tasty little chocolates." I read on Jen Ramos' blog, Made By Girl, that some people get a high from really, really good chocolate. Is this true? Either I've never had really, really good chocolate or not everyone can get a chocolate high.

Halloween Eye Candy: Pickin' a pumpkin.

Beauty: Smell fresh as a pumpkin!

Pink: Learn about pinkwashing and what products are worthy of the pink ribbon.

Sale: Up to 70% off vintage jewelry designs.

Wedding Trend: Ribbon, ribbon everywhere.

Study: Losing sleep makes us gain weight?

Funny: This place is the cat's meow.

Recipe: Yummy pumpkin pancakes.

Organic Cotton and Hemp Dish Towels

Cake for your dishes, not for your mouth! This would make for a sweet gift for an eco-friendly wedding couple. Hand sewn, hand screened, and made from an organic cotton and hemp blend. Available at Seltzer Studios.

Eco Finds for a Halloween Bachelorette Party

I gathered all these together with the intention of writing about how they would be useful during a bachelorette/Halloween party. But then I realized they could be equally useful during a fun, witchy night with Ouja boards. However, this time it will be your fiance or husband, and not your dad, in the background making spooky ghost noises. OooooooOOooooOoo. Anyone have any good Ouja board experiences? :)

Pumpkin Spice Latte Soy Candle

Recycled Rose Bouquet Card

Black Lace Baking Cups

Matchbox Wedding Favors

Favors are a fun part of weddings, but unfortunately, they aren't always eco-friendly. Aunt Susie may enjoy the bride-kicking-the-groom's-ass wine cork, while friend Jim may chuck it out the window on his way home (bad Jim for littering!). Alternatives to wedding favors are gaining popularity. For instance, at Earthly Affair, I've had quite a few brides actually request additional cards be printed to let guests know that a donation has been made in lieu of favors.

However, when you want something cute, matchy matchy, or maybe just handcrafted, you have options. Personally, I really love these little matchbox favors. I'm guilty of the box favor since I made them for my own wedding. Some people will keep them, some won't, and that's just something you'll have to deal with in your own eco-quest.

Healthy Monday: How To Keep a Cold Away

Vintage Wallpapered Wooden Tissue Box Cover

Not too long ago I had the worst cold in the world. I was taking care of a six week old and since I was nursing, most meds were off limits. I thought I was dying. I started making hypothetical deals with myself: would I rather have this cold or go through childbirth again? Surprisingly, that was a tough question to answer.

As a mom, having a cold is a pain in the butt, but having a cold as a bride or wedding planner would probably be worse. So I've adapted these six steps from Reader's Digest, "The ABC's of Cold and Flu Prevention" to help keep you in tip toppy shape!

1. Don't shake hands!
The article actually suggests giving a peck on the cheek or a "manly hug" instead of a hand shake, but those seem just as bad if you ask me. (If you're in a business situation, this might be rather awkward. Instead, try one of these hook hands. Then when someone wants to shake your hand, just hold out your hook and shrug. hehe, told you about my twisted humor.)

2. Zap Those Sponges!
My husband has this things about sponges - you always have to squeeze out the water to keep it less germy. He minored in Hospitality in college and for some reason that's one nugget of knowledge he really held onto (that and the fact that most leftovers can't stay out of the fridge for more than four hours). However, you can also zap it in the microwave for two minutes a day. Just make sure it's a damp sponge, otherwise it's a fire risk.

3. Get Some Exercise!
In my opinion, overdoing exercise can actually harm your immune system, so don't push your limits unless you know you can handle it. But a walk around the neighborhood or even some light housework can be helpful.

4. Disinfect Your Home!
That television remote could be littered with germs! And so could the door handles, light switches, and countertops. Eeewww. Use your favorite eco-friendly disinfectant or make your own.

5. Eat Well and Sleep!
Eating well is kind of a no-brainer. After all, the saying isn't, "a candy bar a day keeps the doctor away." However, healthy eating coupled with seven hours of sleep a night (hah! when will I experience that again!?) can make you less vulnerable to germs.

6. Go Heavy on the Garlic!
In one study, volunteers who took garlic supplements for 90 days during the winter came down with less colds than those who took placebos. Out of 146 people, only 24 of the garlic takers got colds, compared to 65 of the placebo takers.

Saturday's Question

Every Saturday I'll feature a question and ask you lovely readers to weigh in. Do you have a dilemma? E-mail your question to jns721@gmail.com, and a link to your blog or website if you have one, and will post it!

Is it okay to e-mail your wedding thank you cards or should they always be snail mailed? How would you react if you received an e-mailed thank you note for a gift you gave to a bride and groom?

Handmade and Organic Bridal Fun

Kansas City, Kansas City here I come. They got a crazy way of loving there and I'm gonna...

Oh, hello there. :) I was just blog singing.

Speaking of Kansas City, Janay A. is a great little setup that calls the City of Fountains its home. Their latest obsession is making gowns from gorgeous organic fibers, but they also craft veils, garters, ring pillows, and many other bridal accessories.

Check out their article on Modernizing an Heirloom Gown, or visit their Etsy shop for handmade treasures and organic bridal goodies.

So what's on your weekend docket? No apple festival for me this weekend. I'm taking it eeee-zeeee. And I'm hoping to find some cute DIY gifts to help me stay frugal during the holidays. Funds are kind of low, so I've got to be creative. Have any holiday DIY ideas? Feel free to send them my way at jns721 at gmail dot com.

DIY: Veggie Escort Cards

Weird: Getting married at McDonalds?

Wedding: Dream weddings for deserving couples.

Invitation Fun: Obama at your wedding?

Halloween Freebie: Treat Bag Printout

DIY: Got an old t-shirt? Do this.

Home: Plant clippings done differently

Life: Starbucks tries harder than you think.

Honeymoon Eco-Activities

Lying around and doing nothing is part of your honeymoon duties. Especially if you are going to tropical area with a lot of sun, sand, and water. However, too much nothing can get boring. I speak from experience and this is one of those things I wish I had known about. If you plan to head to Costa Rica, Dominica, Jamaica, or St.Lucia (Woot! Woot! I honeymooned in St.Lucia!), you may want to visit Rainforest Adventures. Home to five protected eco-adventure parks, which also serve as wildlife reserve and research havens, Rainforest Adventures works to educate and excite while you fly high on one of those cool aerial trams or zip lines. Check 'em out on facebook too!

Zombie Bride

Now that Halloween is fast approaching, I thought it only appropriate to give you tales of ghouls, ghosts, and goblins. Or at the very least, my very own roadside zombie sign.

On the way to the Apple Festival and stopped at a stop sign, my husband and I saw a small homemade sign stuck in the ground that read, "Zombie Shoot Ahead!" And the name of a gun club was listed beneath it. I immediately got a "28 Days Later" kind of picture in my head of gun-toting rednecks chasing real life, I mean real dead, zombies. Upon seeing it, my husband responds in a concerned tone with, "Hey! Zombies have rights too."

I came home and googled "Zombie Shoot" and it seems to be some type of themed shoot that gun ranges take part in. Not sure what I was expecting, but that's much less exciting than the real un-dead walking our streets. On second thought, scratch that. Apparently I didn't learn anything from I Am Legend.

So what do zombies have to do with weddings or eco-friendly anything? Nothing really, unless you are a zombie freak. In which case, you can visit this dude, who is apparently a kick-ass zombie illustrator, and he will paint your portrait and make you look all dead and gory and stuff. (Found the zombie dude via Offbeat Bride.)

Georgia Apple Festival

Hubby and I brought the munchkin along to the Elijay Apple Festival last weekend. For some reason, I was expecting more apples and more apple related thingamajigs. They had camel rides, which was kind of weird, and lots of food and drink, such as $6 homemade root beer that I wanted to try but didn't because I am too cheap. I did try the cider though and it was delicious. There were also many arts and craft-ish types of vendors. My favorite was by far Going Green Lanterns, a group that creates lanterns out of old wine and liquor bottles, which they collect from friends and find at the local recycling center. I even got myself one!

Repost - Healthy Monday: 8 x 8

Today's healthy living tip is a simple one: drink water!

For years, we've all heard the "8 glasses a day" or the "8 x 8" rule. And while many of us have it ingrained in our head, few of us heed the advice. (According to one study, that seems to be all that it is - "advice". Not doctor's orders or an essential dietary requirement, simply an "urban myth.") However, conventional wisdom tells us water aids in our health by cleaning out toxins, protecting our organs, lessening the burden on our kidneys, and carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells.

According to an article on Mayo Clinic , you don't need to actually down 8 glasses of water a day to make sure you're getting your full intake. Tomatoes and watermelons are actually about 90 percent water and many other liquids, such as juices and milk contain water. Not to mention it's inexpensive and calorie free, so switching your daily soda with a daily water might not be a bad idea!

Personally speaking, I think water does make a big difference in health. I feel healthier and I don't experience the sugar crashes and caffeine withdrawals I've experienced with sodas and coffee. Not to mention there is also one other small, but important fact: water is essential to our survival. We may be able to survive days, weeks, even months without food, but only two to ten days without water. I can't think of any living thing on this earth that can survive without water, so Mother Earth must know what she's doing.


Sources: Reuters, Survival Topics, Mayo Clinic
Photo credit: Miss_CM

For Friday

The weekend is upon us! Oh happy, happy Friday! Hooooooot Hoooooot.

According to The Owl Pages (now that's a straight and to the point website name), owls were a symbol of wisdom and helpfulness in early Indian folklore. There are sooo many owl necklaces available on Etsy, you could get one for each of your oh-so-helpful bridesmaids and even one for your wise mother. :)

Do you have plans ahead of you? Planning on enjoying October weather? Shopping for a Halloween costume? Or just going to relax?

Toot Toot:Majorly, big, huge thank you to Southern Weddings Magazine for featuring this
blog in V3!

Engagement Photos: A dog, A Fiance, and a really cute outfit.

Real Wedding: Amazing, blue and yellow craft happy wedding.

Giveaway: At Fine Little Day

Join: The Slow Food Movement

Shameless website mention: I've started my own Tumblr and uploaded some pics and video of my cutie pie baby, Sophia.

Photo: Vintage owl necklace from A Common Thread

Create Your Own Chocolate Bar

Forget the nuts, add the raspberries. Or add the nuts and the raspberries. Or go really crazy and add nuts, raspberries, basil, ground coffee beans, and gold flakes! I love this idea and I love this site. Organic and fair trade chocolate bars with a dizzying array of toppings you can add yourself. Become a fan (or, "liker") on facebook because once they reach 1000, every fan gets 20% off!

Chocri takes bulk orders for your wedding favors. But what a cute holiday gift idea too!

Lovely Lovelies

Oye vey! I have to make this a short post! I am about to run out the door to meet my mom for lunch and now that I have a wee one, it takes twice as long to get my butt ready. Enjoy these lovely, lovely, lovely earthy boutonnieres (I still don't know how to spell that right - spell check, I love you!) from Pomp and Plumage.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Decided to do a little blog cleaning up. I'm still going to keep the Earth Friendly Weddings address, but I ultimately feel it's a bit of a misnomer, considering I sometimes post about more than just weddings. So it's still a work in progress. Bear with me. Occasionally I'll incorporate more tidbits about my life and I won't be censoring myself so much. That doesn't mean more cursing, just less restraint in how I write. Less business-y, more personality.

Font-ify Your Projects

Many of you like to create your own invitations, stationery, announcements, etc... I highly suggest exploring some of the wonderful free fonts out there. There is only so much you can do with Times New Roman and Papyrus. Get font-ified at Abduzeedo. Fresh free fonts, featured every Friday.

Repost: Healthy Monday - A Spoonful of Alternative Sugar

Ah, refined sugar. Its ability to satisfy our sweet teeth is nearly unmatchable, but it's ability to provide anything of substance is zero. Have you wondered why exactly? Here it is - plain and simple. To aid in digestion, the body has to borrow nutrients (good nutrients we need, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium) from other foods previously eaten in order to break it down. Once broken down, it's converted into glucose and absorbed quickly into the bloodstream; your pancreas then has to start working overtime to send out insulin, which calms down the glucose levels. This is one of the causes of Type II Diabetes. Ugh, that's nice, isn't it? To top it off, it can cause... (cue scary Jaws music) ...weight gain. So what's a gal to do? Don't go for the fake stuff, it's even worse for you. Unfortunately, short of cutting sweets out entirely (Gasp! The horror! And no, I'm not being sarcastic!), there aren't a whole lot of options. Raw brown sugar, honey, and agave nectar may satisfy your sweet craving. While they are still empty calories, Sarah Delaney of Divine Caroline does point out that they are natural and a good alternative when consumed in moderation. Delaney says your best best is Xylitol or Stevia. This is what she says about both:

Stevia comes from a South American plant and has been used in South America for over twenty years with no negative implications. It is currently not FDA approved as an additive but you can purchase it in packets at the supermarket. (I don’t know how much FDA approval is worth, considering they approved saccharin.)

Xylitol occurs naturally in some fruits and plants. The kind sold on the market in the U.S. is extracted from birch bark. Xylitol has been approved and you can find it in very few foods and in chewing gum at the health food store. One of the benefits is that it is healthy for the teeth. Now that is certainly a 360 from sugar.

So as you can see, the options are limited, but the benefits and payoffs of treating your body the way it deserves to be treated are well worth it.

photo credits:
Top Photo - Nisa on Flickr
Bottom Photo - Craig ! on Flickr

Unique Eco Friendly Wedding and Engagement Rings

Wouldn't it be something if instead of comparing diamond sizes, brides compared minimal impact and eco-awareness of their engagement and wedding rings? If they did, and said bride was wearing a Green Karat ring, she would definitely win the competition.
I love the fact they put such thought and effort behind their unique designs, giving you more than just a ring but a work of art. For instance, the Quark ring is explained with the following:

Let us then examine the elementary particles of matter called quarks. When shot with a particle accelerator through a bubble chamber, they leave ionization trails like those illustrated on this ring. Those visual trails tell us volumes about the particles, and produce a natural work of art that we have rendered to a canvas for you.

The Precious Stone ring is particularly unique in that you can send them a pebble, perhaps one that has special significance and they will slice it and set it in the ring for you. Forever preserving a beautiful memory to wear around your finger.

Using Dried Flowers

Great green idea here! Use dried flowers for your reception, as this couple did, and then send your guests home with the pretty arrangements. And it eliminates the headache of creating your own arrangements on your own wedding day, since it can be done months in advance. Although re-usable totes seem to be a bit hackneyed these days, it's still a favor that I think most guests appreciate. At least that guest (bottom right pic) really likes his tote! Yummy vegetarian fare featured above the tote lovin' guy.

Full Wedding at Seattle Metropolitan Bride and Groom
Photography by In a Frame

RePost: Adding Personality to Your Wedding

Try to take at least five minutes today to admire something beautiful - a picture of your family, your great grandmother's heirloom tablecloth, or an old favorite t-shirt. Whatever it is, remember life is fleeting! And always take note, there is no parking on the dance floor! :)

For today, I've got a few good examples of couples incorporating their individual style into their wedding. I hope it lends some inspiration to your own wedding ideas!

The groom gave this bride a sepia toned photograph of a birdhouse in a tree, so when it came time to choose their theme, nature seemed most appropriate for this budget wedding.


This ring pillow was made by the bride with vintage handkerchiefs bought on Ebay.


This same sex couple had their friend play "The Rainbow Connection" as they walked out.


This program featured a wedding themed crossword on the back of this couple's program.

Are you planning on adding anything extra personal to your wedding? If so, let us know what it is!

All photos found via NY Mag

A Good Cuppa

Tea time isn't just for little girls with little tea sets. Why, across the pond, those Brits treasure a good cuppa (slang for a cup o' tea) nearly every day! (They're probably nursing those hangovers. Kidding, kidding!) Tea is a great way to reconnect with bridesmaids, catch up with mom on wedding plans, or just enjoy a relaxing moment to yourself, possibly so you can recollect your sanity. Personally, I enjoy The Republic of Tea and Yogi Tea brands, my favorite being the Bedtime Tea.

What about you? Do you have a favorite cuppa?

Love these beautiful, organic linen tea towels by Madder Root. The illustrations on each one all work so well together, it would almost be worth it to get three or four different ones but use them together. Alternatively, they would make great gift ideas for your bridesmaids, especially if you were having a bridal tea shower.

Recycled Glassware

If apples with jackets aren't your thing, consider recycled glassware. :) Love all of these found from various spots around the web. Top Row:Have you met Mrs. Jones. Bottom Left: Green Rainbow Shop Bottom Right:Bodhicitta

Apple Jackets

Do your apples ever get cold? No, I'm not using apples as a euphemism for something else.

I thought this was one cute, however seemingly useless little demonstration of what one can achieve with some knitting needles. If you wished to incorporate apples into your wedding (and it is that time of year) then apples with jackets might act as a good conversation starter during the cocktail hour. Just make sure to get small apples, lest the big apples might feel fat if they don't fit in their attire.

And the list is back! Woohoo!

Love: Pretty present wrapping.

Timwaster: Cute girl has catchy dance.

Yum: Eight surprising places to find organic food.

DIY: Turn blah porcelain into BAM! porcelain.